How does it work?
Getting files off an iPhone usually means a Lightning cable and iTunes, emailing yourself attachments, or waiting for iCloud to sync. This works differently: your iPhone and your PC connect directly through the browser, and the files stream between them in real time.
It's the same Quick Transfer feature you can use from the homepage: your files never touch a cloud drive or a server, and there is no file size limit. A 4 GB holiday video works just as well as a single photo.
Because the transfer runs in the browser, it works with Safari on the iPhone and any browser on the PC, whether that's Windows 10, Windows 11 or Linux. Both devices just need to be online at the same time.
How to Transfer Files from iPhone to PC
- Open this page on your iPhone, tap the button above and pick the photos, videos or documents you want to send.
- On your PC, open transfer.zip/quick in any browser and type the 6-digit code shown on your iPhone.
- The download starts immediately. Keep both devices online until it finishes.
iPhone photos arrive as HEIC
iPhones save photos in HEIC format by default. Windows can open HEIC since Windows 11 (and Windows 10 with the free HEIF extension), but some older programs still expect JPG.
If you need JPGs, convert after transferring with our free HEIC to JPG converter (it also runs in the browser), or set your iPhone camera to shoot JPG under Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible.
No quality loss, no size limit
Emailing or messaging yourself a video compresses it to a fraction of the original quality. This transfer sends the original file, bit for bit. A 10-minute 4K recording arrives exactly as it was shot.
There is no file size cap. Large transfers simply take as long as your internet connection needs; the progress bar on both screens shows the live speed.
Why not iCloud, AirDrop or a cable?
AirDrop only works between Apple devices, so a Windows PC is out. iCloud for Windows works but syncs your whole library and needs setup plus storage space. A cable requires iTunes or Apple Devices drivers that famously refuse to recognize the phone at the worst moment.
A browser transfer skips all of that. There is nothing to install or sign in to, and it works the same on a work laptop where you can't install software.
FAQ
Do I need to install an app on my iPhone or PC? No. The transfer runs entirely in the browser, Safari on the iPhone and any browser on the PC. There is nothing to install on either device.
Will my photos and videos lose quality? No. Files are transferred exactly as they are stored on your iPhone, with no compression. A 500 MB video arrives as the same 500 MB file.
Do both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network? No. The transfer works over the internet, so your iPhone can be on mobile data and the PC on office ethernet. They just need to be online at the same time.
Is there a file size limit? No fixed limit. The transfer streams directly between your devices, so even files of many gigabytes work. They just take longer depending on your connection speed.
Where do the files end up on my PC? In your browser's normal download location, usually the Downloads folder. If you send several files at once they arrive bundled as one zip file.
Is it private? Yes. Files are encrypted and relayed directly between your two devices, never stored on a server, and the transfer ends the moment you close the page.
Related Guides
How to Transfer Files from PC to PC
Move files between two computers with your browser. Type a 6-digit code on the other PC and the files transfer directly, no USB stick or cloud upload involved.
How to Transfer Files from Android to PC
Send photos, videos and files from any Android phone to your computer wirelessly. All it takes is a code typed into the browser, no cable or drivers involved.
How to Transfer Files from iPhone to Android
AirDrop doesn't work with Android, but this does. Send photos, videos and files from iPhone to any Android phone through the browser, free and without an app.
How to Transfer Files from PC to iPhone
Send files from a Windows PC to your iPhone wirelessly, without iTunes or a cable. Scan a QR code or type a short code and the download starts.